Henry Kissinger, the former US statesman and retired foreign policy veteran sat down in a webinar with the Council on Foreign Relations(CFR). He spoke about the current global situation in regards to the powers that are challenging the US order, including China and Russia, vis-à-vis historical events.
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Russia no longer able to project conventional threats
The President of the CFR, Richard Haass, asked Kissinger whether the US and Russia would be able to reach a compromise and 'modus vivendi', or, might Vladimir Putin try everything to overthrow America’s strategic system.
Kissinger said that initially he was not fond of the idea of Ukraine joining NATO because bringing the alliance to the borders with Russia would antagonise the former. He added that historically Russia was used to defeating aggressors at the gates of Moscow, since enemies had to traverse lots of territory and obstacles to reach the capital, however, that layer of security is gone now.
Nevertheless, he believes that Russia from the Napoleon times, and especially after WWII, was projecting threats towards Europe with conventional attacks. Yet, that has been largely overcome now, as is seen in Ukraine, so he concludes that Russia has already lost the war in a way.
What will be the western relationship with Russia
Kissinger, believes and hopes that like many precedents, the Ukraine war will stop through a ceasefire, the CFR reports.
According to The Economic Times, Kissingersaid that the question now is to determine what will be the relationship between Russia and Europe.
According to the CFR, Kissinger said that it is important to acknowledge that at some point the west must begin a dialogue with Russia to negotiate what their relationship will be going forward.
And although Kissinger said ‘nothing excuses the conduct of Vladimir Putin in Ukraine’, he does not rule out a peace agreement with him, which might work, because he warns that possible successors might appeal more strongly to nationalism:
So the issue is that a peace can be made with Putin. I don’t know that, because we would have to explore it. And it would—but it’s not necessarily easier by his successors, who could appeal to the nationalist element even more.
Sources used:
- Council on Foreign Relations: ‘Lessons From History Series: A Conversation With Henry Kissinger’
- The Economic Times: ‘Henry Kissinger: In a way, Russia has already lost the war in Ukraine’
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